By Minka Klaudia Tiangco
The 23-year-old student from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) who was arrested for allegedly violating quarantine measures was freed on Tuesday (April 28).
PUP STUDENT FREED—An engineering student from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), who was arrested after the police saw no name on his home quarantine pass, was freed after the charges filed against him were dismissed. (Photo courtesy of Manila Police District-Public Information Office).
In a statement, the PUP Students' Party for Equality and Advancement of Knowledge (SPEAK) said mechanical engineering student Rexon Aumentado was released after the multiple charges filed by the police against him were dismissed.
"Tumagal man sa kulungan nang walang kaso, ay masaya kaming nakalaya na siya at malayo na sa anumang panganib," the statement read.
(Although he was detained in jail for a long time without any charges filed against him, we are happy that he is now free and is now far from harm.)
The student organization said Aumentado will undergo a stress debriefing after the incident.
The engineering student was apprehended on Saturday while on his way to a market at Sta. Mesa, Manila after the police saw no name written on his home quarantine pass.
Initially, Barangay 587 Chairman Danilo Marcos issued a certification saying that the home quarantine pass was not issued to Aumentado. However, the barangay head retracted the certification after it was found that barangay officials issued a double-entry home quarantine pass to the student, PUP SPEAK said.
Despite this, police held Aumentado at the Sta. Mesa Police Station for three days and filed charges against him for the use of falsified documents, disobedience and resistance to person in authority, and non-cooperation.
PUP SPEAK said Marcos testified in favor of the student while several legal groups, including the Free Legal Assistance Group led by former senatorial bets Atty. Manuel "Chel" Diokno and Atty. Erin Tañada, offered their legal services for free.
Several legal, youth, human rights, and student organizations also monitored Aumentado's case, the group said.
"Kami ay nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng mga tumulong at naging kaisa sa ating laban. Gayon din naman sa mga naging kakampi at alyadong ipagpapatuloy ang pagtulong sa mga biktima ng pang-aabuso sa gitna ng pandemya," their statement read.
(We would like to thank everyone who joined us in this fight, as well as those who became our allies in continuing to help the victims of abuse in the middle of the pandemic.)